US Troop Review in Germany Amidst Intensifying Spat with Merz
President Donald Trump has announced via social media that the US is “studying and reviewing” whether to reduce the thousands of troops it has stationed in Germany. This announcement comes as a spat with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz intensifies.
Merz’s Criticism and Trump’s Response
Trump’s remarks followed days after Chancellor Merz criticized his approach to the situation in Iran, suggesting the US had been “humiliated” by Iranian negotiators. Trump stated in a social media post late on Wednesday that a decision on troop numbers would be made “over the next short period of time.” Early on Thursday, he further criticized Merz, stating he should spend “more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!).”
The US maintains a significant military presence in Germany, with more than 36,000 active duty troops assigned to bases across the country as of last December. Merz did not directly address Trump’s comments during a visit to German soldiers on Thursday, but he emphasized the importance of the Nato defensive alliance and “transatlantic solidarity.”
Earlier in the week, Merz told university students that “the Americans clearly have no strategy” regarding Iran and he could not see “what strategic exit” they would choose. He remarked, “The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skillful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result.” He added that the “entire nation” was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership.
Trump responded on Truth Social, claiming Merz thought it was “OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon” and “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” He added, “No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!” On Thursday, Trump reiterated that Merz should focus on “fixing his broken Country, especially Immigration and Energy, and less time interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat.”
Historical Context and NATO Dynamics
Germany, along with the UK and France, was part of a 2015 deal with Iran to limit its nuclear operations, an agreement from which Trump pulled the US in 2018. When initially asked about Trump’s post, Merz maintained that the “personal relationship between the American president and myself remains just as good as before.” He has yet to respond to the suggestion of US troop reductions.
The US military deployment in Germany is its largest in Europe, significantly more than the approximately 12,000 troops in Italy and 10,000 in the UK. Many are stationed at the Ramstein air base. While Trump has proposed troop reductions in Germany previously, they have not yet materialized.
In 2020, a proposal to move 12,000 US troops from Germany to other Nato countries or back to the US was blocked by Congress and subsequently reversed by President Joe Biden. At that time, Trump had criticized Germany for being “delinquent” on military spending, which was below Nato’s target of 2% of economic output (GDP). However, under the Merz government, Germany’s defense expenditure is projected to reach 3.1% of GDP next year, with €105.8bn (£91bn) planned for 2027.
Merz had stated after talks with Trump in Washington in March that he had been assured the US would maintain its military presence in Germany. However, while Merz has recently voiced concerns about the economic consequences for Europe of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump has expressed anger over the response of Nato allies to the war in Iran.
Over the past two months, the US president has repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the 32-member Nato alliance, labeling it a “paper tiger” and a “one-way street.” A leaked internal Pentagon email in April detailed potential measures to punish allies perceived as not supporting the US campaign in Iran, including a suggestion to suspend Spain from Nato. A Nato official stated that the alliance’s founding treaty “does not foresee any provision for suspension of Nato membership, or expulsion.”
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